Dutton Viaduct
Region:
Red Wheel Site:
Transport Mode(s):
Address:
Postcode:
Visitor Centre:
Website:
Visit websiteThe Grand Junction Railway was formed in 1833 to build a rail connection between the Liverpool & Manchester Railway and Birmingham. The northern part of the line was to be designed by George Stephenson and the southern by his pupil Joseph Locke. This displeased Stephenson and he resigned.
Design work on the Dutton Viaduct was begun during Stephenson's time but it is unclear how much of it is attributable to him and how much to Locke. It was Locke who presided over the actual construction, and he built the line, so he tends to get the credit. He had been an apprentice of Robert Stephenson and had been the driver of 'Rocket' on the fateful day in 1930 when it knocked down William Huskisson.
The viaduct is 391 m.(428 yds) long and is of stone with 20 18 m.(60 ft.)span arches. It crosses the river Weaver and was the first railway viaduct outside London. It is listed Grade II*.
By road: From the M56, Junction 10:
Follow the A49 south, crossing the A533. You cross over the Weaver Navigation, and take the next road on the right towards Acton Bridge. This lane joins the B5153 at Acton Bridge station, pass over the bridge and continue to the village of Crowton (about a mile and a half). Turn right in the village and continue to the end of this lane. Turn right again and follow lane to its end. Park car and follow footpath alongside caravan park to the river and proceed east along the banks to the viaduct.
Biddle, Gordon, Britain's Historic Railway Buildings, Oxford University Press, ISBN-10: 0198662475 (2003)
Biddle, Gordon & Nock, O.S., The Railway Heritage of Britain : 150 years of railway architecture and engineering, Studio Editions, ISBN-10: 1851705953 (1990)
Biddle, Gordon and Simmons, J. The Oxford Companion to British Railway History. ISBN 0 19 211697 5 (1997
Civil Engineering Heritage. Wales and West Central England
Conolly, W. Philip, British Railways Pre-Grouping Atlas And Gazetteer, Ian Allan Publishing, ISBN 0-7110-0320-3 (1958/97)
Davies, Hunter, George Stephenson, Weidenfeld and Nicolson. ISBN 0297769340.(1975)
Devey, Joseph, The Life of Joseph Locke, civil engineer, (1862)
Holt, Geoffrey, A Regional History of the Railways of Britain, North West, ISBN 07153 7521 0 (1978)
Nock, Oswald . "Building the first main lines". The Railway Engineers. London: Batsford. (1955)
Smith, Martin, British Railway Bridges and Viaducts, ISBN 0 7110 2273 9 (1994)
Webster, N.V., Joseph Locke, Railway Revolutionary. ISBN 0 04 385055 3 (1970)
Webster, N.V., Britain's First Trunk Line, Adams and Dart, ASIN B0012U52AK (1972)
Forgotten Relics - Listed Bridges and Viaducts